Who is Harry's guardian?

[a_svirn]

No: HPFGUIDX 158534

a_svirn:
> <snip> Dumbledore did not make his decision *after* Sirius went 
after
> Pettigrew. He made his decision *before* Sirius had a chance to
> explain. That's why he went after Pettigrew – there wasn't anything
> left to him but his revenge.
> And if <post ends here>

Carol responds:
As I said, Dumbledore had every reason to believe that Sirius Black
was both the Secret Keeper who'd betrayed the Potters and the spy.
Sirius did *not* have just one option, to go after Peter. He could
have gone to dumbledore and explained his position, even presenting
legal proof that he was Harry's guardian if he had any. That he chose
revenge instead pretty much demonstrates, to me at least, that he'd
have been a very poor choice of guardian. Meantime, Dumbledore had no
choice but to take what action he could to protect Harry, and the
blood protection that Petunia could provide and Sirius couldn't 
seemed
to him the best possible option.

a_svirn:
And as I said it wasn't *meantime*. It was *before*. Sirius was 
shattered by grief and he blamed himself for the Potters death. 
Dumbledore's decision could only mean that Dumbledore blamed him as 
well and didn't trust him with Hurry's welfare. I think if Sirius 
had been given a chance to look after Harry, he would have put his 
safety and his welfare first, and his revenge a distant second. But 
he wasn't given that chance. 

Carol:
Even if Sirius was innocent (as we know in hindsight that he was),
what kind of protection could he have given Harry? He was a
twenty-two-year-old bachelor with a reckless personality, no
experience in child rearing, and a desire for vengeance against Peter
Pettigrew. He didn't trust anybody--not Remus Lupin, not Dumbledore.

a_svirn:
What do you mean "he didn't trust anybody"? He obviously trusted 
Pettigrew.  He trusted Dumbledore with Harry's welfare. He trusted 
Hagrid with the same (plus with his motorbike). The only one he 
didn't really trust was Lupin. But then nobody's perfect – 
Dumbledore didn't trust Sirius. Everyone can make an error of 
judgement. 

Carol:
Even if Sirius could prove that he was Harry's legal guardian, surely
love for Harry and whatever common sense he possessed would lead him
to understand that he could only lead Harry into danger and that
Dumbledore could provide protections that he could not.

a_svirn:
Good point. And all that plus his being crushed by grief and guilt-
ridden must have contributed to his complying with Dumbledore's 
wishes. Or, rather, with Dumbledore's orders.  He opted for giving 
Harry up, rather then endangering him – like a mother from that King 
Solomon story, only with the different ending.  Which makes me think 
that he would have made a much better guardian than the Dursleys. 
And which makes me doubt Dumbledore's wisdom.